Deputy Chief Minister D D Lapang said the decision to drop Lotsing A Sangma, Adolf Lu R Marak, Brening A Sangma and Admiral K Sangma was taken at an emergency meeting of the coordination committee of the two parties.

The ministers were dropped since they were no longer associated with the ruling combine. Governor M M Jacob accepted Chief Minister Lyngdoh's advice to drop the ministers, official sources said.

The four ministers have been expelled from the primary membership of the Congress party for six years.